With nice weather ahead, fishing will be great this weekend

The weekend is shaping up to be decent weather wise so look for some excellent fishing opportunities offshore.

My contacts from the Department of Environmental Conservation Fisheries station report the creel census personnel noted a lot of walleye were taken east of Barcelona Harbor in 115 to 120 feet of water.

If you are looking for trout head for the drop off by the Brocton Shoals in 85-plus feet of water about 7 1/2 miles out of Dunkirk. Lots of lake trout, brown trout and walleye are there gorging on smelt.

Closer to home, most anglers I spoke with reported at least a half dozen walleyes for their efforts fishing in 85 to 99 feet of water straight out of Dunkirk. Presentations were mostly stick baits like Renoskys or bombers off 10 colors of lead core, or downriggers, or dipsey divers. Many anglers reported the fish were on the bottom so they added up to four ounces of weight along with the 10 colors of leadcore line. That hot walleye bite that was taking place out of the Buffalo Small Boat Harbor has finally cooled way down.

Rick Miller in Irving reports the anglers have been doing well on walleye out of the “Cat” but are heading towards the Canadian border. Yellow perch have been reported in the 60-foot depths heading west towards Silver Creek. On Sunday, I was able to team up with my brother Ray, and we finally found some active yellow perch in 68 feet of water. We were east, roughly off the Disposal Plant. By 1 p.m., we ran out of minnows and the fish were finally getting aggressive. We ended up with 17 the first time out. We returned in the evening with more live minnows and located more fish in 65 feet of water, roughly out from the Steger Apartments. We ended up with 38. Note: I prefer using a crappie rig with three hooks, the third hook attached near the sinker. Ray prefers a spreader equipped with Colorado blades. We have noticed that the bigger perch seem to hit Ray”s rig more often once the sun starts to go down. The sheephead also showed up in the evening. Most of the perch were full of minuscule brownish/green organisms, possibly BC or worms. Fishing in deeper water, the perch often blow out their bladder, and tossing back smaller injured fish usually ends up as seagull food. I tend to keep the small ones, rather than feed the birds. That’s just my opinion.

Skip from Hogan’s Hut Bait & Tackle in Stow reports some 45-to 46 inch muskies were caught last week, but the typical fish is about 36 inches. The Salmo bait in yellow perch pattern has been a hot bait all season long. This bait is only about 6 inches in length, but it also has been producing some nice sized bass and walleye. Walleye have headed towards deeper water in the trough at about 20 feet with the cooler weather blowing in.

Calendar:

Upcoming trapping classes: Falconer Rod & Gun Club located on the Buffalo St. extension in Falconer, Sept. 25 from 6-10 p.m., returning on Sept. 28 ) from 6 p.m.-10 p.m. Register at first class. Limited to 30 students.

Trapping class at Westfield Fish & Game on Oct. 4 from 6-10 p.m., returning on Saturday, Oct. 5 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Call Rich at 595-3917 for a work book. Limited to 35 students.

The Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club will host a firearms safety course on Aug. 21 and Aug. 22, from 5 until 10 p.m. Two-day attendance is mandatory for certification. The bow course will be held on Sept. 21 from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m., while the trapping course will be held on Saturday, Sept. 28, from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.

The Annual Hunting Expo held at the Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel, located at 777 Seneca Allegany Blvd., Salamanca, will be held on Saturday, Sept. 28 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 29 from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. For more information, contact Jim Buck at 569-6810 or visit www.yorkpennshows.com.

There will be a gun show at the Frewsburg Firemen’s Rec Hall, 25 Hazzard St., in Frewsburg, on Oct. 26 and Oct. 27. Call 569-6810 for more information.